Vacuum cleaner



Aprilzs, 1961 C. H. SPARKUN mL 2,980,939

VACUUM CLEANER Filed Nov. 18, 1957 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTRS.-

April 25, 1961 c. H. sPARKLlN ETAL 2,980,939

VACUUM CLEANER Filed Nov. 1a, 1957 e sheets-sheet 2 April 25, 1961 c. H. sPARKLlN ETAL 2,980,939

VACUUM CLEANER Filed Nov. 18, 1957 6 Sheets-$heet 3 April 25,1961 c. H. SPARKUN Em. 2,980,939

VACUUM CLEANER 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Nov. 18, 1957 April 25, 1961 c. H. sPARKLlN Erm. 2,980,939

VACUUM CLEANER Filed Nov. l, 1957 6 sheets-sheet 5 April 25, 1961 c. H. sPARKLlN ErAL 2,980,939

VACUUM CLEANER Filed Nov. 18. 1957 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 INVENTOR5-- @w44 a# j Lnllll 19 mmm- 3Q 4a A HN .I 2 I w wuullal ,l ,IIM ME: l@ e J y@ w w w w L 1 Il j w/ a9 6 y /f d VVACUUM CLEANER "Charles H. Sparklin, `Chcago,`and Emery L. Hall, Hinsdale, lll., assigno'rs to Whirlpool Corporation, a corporation of Delaware Filed Nov. 18,1957, Ser. No. 697,239 1 claim. (C1. 154-377) This invention relates 'to a vacuum cleaner nozzle "structure adapted to be attached to theend of an ordinary vacuum cleaner Wand and to be propelled by said wand lover the surface, such as a rug, that Pis bein cleaned.

The customary tank yor canister type vacuum cleaner employs a `flexible hose to `which is attached a tubular wand adapted to carry a nozzle on its outer end for contact with the work being cleaned. These nozzles have customarily employed a brush for contacting the work in order to loosen dirt that `is embedded in `the Trug or similar 'article being cleaned. However, lthese brushes have been xed in .position and perform their brushing action only by reason of the propelling force that-moves the nozzle over 'the rug. It has not lbeen customary practice to provide a rotatable brush in a Estructure of this type.

In Lthe nozzle of the present invention improved `means are `provided for mounting and `rotating a rotatable brush so that the nozzle functions very much as the ordinary stick type cleaner that is ordinarily employed in cleanvin'g rugs andcarpets.

-Oneofthe lfeatures of this invention, therefore, is to Yprovide an-i'mproved vacuum cleaner nozzle construction employing a motor and a rotatable brush driven by`th`e frnotor. @Means are also employed for-providing a dirt- "laden air passage throughthe nozzle structure and of providinga separate clean air passage `for cooling air to the fan. i

Another featureof the invention'isto provide an "ifnproved bottom closure plate and improved means "for `mountingthe plate'on the nozzle 'structure yso -that it is "securelyfastened in position-but whichis easilyfremoved yfor servicing vthe brush. motor, belt land 4similar Tinterior parts of-the'nozzle.

Other `featuresa'nd 'advantages of the Iinvention will befapparent-from-thezappended claim'and from thefolflowingdescription `of one embodimentof the invention asshown inthe'accompanying drawings. Of the drawmgs: p

`Figure l is aside elevational view ofthe vacuum cleaner nozzlestructure of this invention partially broken away for clarity of illustration and showing the lower end Aof anjordinary vacuum cleaner wand attached thereto. y v

"Figure `2^"is` `a pljan YView ofthenozzlestructure.

Figure v-3 is a ifrontelevational Vview of the nozzle dstructure.

lFigure 4 is-a'veitical sectional elevational View taken substantiallS/"through the center of `Ithe nozzle structure and showing partstbroken away for? claritylofillustration.

Figure 5 is a bottom View of the vacuum cleaner 'fnozzle wit-h a portion ofthe bottom closure plate broken away.

'Figure 6 isa bottom fragmentary enlarged detailed view showing the-means fortlocking in place one end of -the bumper strip.

Figure 7 is an elevational view of an end fastener arent@ 'i 2,980,939 Y Y`Patented Apr. 25, 19611 Y 2 for retaining-one end'of the bumper strip in place on the nozzle structure.V

Figure Sis a Vfragmentary bottom view `of the nozzle structure with the bottom closure plate removed and with portions ofthe structure broken away for clarity of illustration.

Figure l9 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially along line 9-49 of Figure v4.

Figure l0 is a vertical sectional View taken substantially along line 10-10 of Figure 4 and with portions broken away for clarity 'of illustration.

Figure 11 'is a vertical sectional elevational view taken substantiallyfalong `line \11'-11 of Figure 4.

Figure 12 is ia vertical Isectional view taken substantially `along line 12-12 of Figure 5.

Figure 13 ris a fragm'ent'ary sectional view takensubstantially along line i1`3-13 of Figure 8.

tFigure 14 is a fragmentary sectional view illustrating yan alternate embodiment.

The vacuum cleaner shown in `the accompanying drawings comprises a `casing 10 having a central ridge Von the -top "containing 'side openings lila. The casing has a bottom edge .portion 1ib,substantially all portions V'of which :are "coplanan The lrear of the casing 10 is Aprovided with substantially parallel spaced rear exten- 'sions 10c. The top 10d of the central -raised vportion 10e is extended rearwardly as shown in Figure 2 to `the :rear of these rearV extension `parts 10c. This top 10d 'is provided witha forwardlyextending cutout portion 10g lof generally lll-shape.

The rear` oflthe'casin'g 10 isprovided with an exhaust opening '10h fin 'which is positioned a short rearwardly and upwardlyext'ending exhaust conduit '11.

`Located'rearwardly of the main casing 1d andfextend- Ving between the frea'r casingextensions 10c isan `axle V12 "on Whichiisrloc'ated a pair of `wheels 113. These :wheels IVare -postionedwit'hin thefrear extensions '1Go so vthat the skirts 14 of these extensions serve to hide'the uppe'rp'arts t f the wheelsasfshown Imostclearly in 'Figure f-l 4Located within the casing 10 f and extending downwardly fr'omthjetop lthereof is ashort wall 115 with the 'rear-.ofthis Wall forming the rear of-the casing 1t). The bottom efdge of this wallv defines an essentiallyhorizontal plane. This-lower edge of-'the wall is spaced-a considervable-distanceabove the bottom of the'casing and extends around the area -occupied-'by the casing 'openings 11021 and the top 10d of the casing.

VMounted within the 'casing 1Q is a motor structure 16 that includes fla 'housing V17. l This housing includes yan'upperfgenerallysemi-cylindrical shell 1S and a similar lower shell 19. Each of these shells is provided Withfan outwardly extending planar flange 2G and 21a-'that are `adapted to bebolted together bymeans of spaced bolts 22 in ordertohold'theshells in assembled relationship. The outwardly extending cooperating flanges 2A) and 21 provide'the'meansfor mounting Vthe motor 16 withinitlie casing. The outer edges Yof the flanges 20 and 2'1'rest against lower edge of the wall 15 and are fastened thereto by means of spaced bolts 23 engaging bosses`24gtht are formed fas va-part of the Wall 15. The upper motor casing'shell 1S/is provided with end openings 13a and 18h on the cylindrical surface of the shell adjacent'to each end thereof and adjacent to theopenings 10a inf the casing 10.

Theshell flanges '20 'and 21`and wall V15 "cooperate `to divide'thefinterior'of the'casing ltlinto a'dirt-laden Yair passage 25 in thelower part of the casing andia clean ar passage 26 in the upper part that`are separatedfrom each other. The upper-airpassa'ge 26 provides Vventilationfair for the --motor -161withlthisair being forced through Athe*` opening-10aJ 118e,4 andV 18b so as to-provide cooling air for the interior of the motor. This air is 3. moved by the usual motor cooling fan (not'shown) that is customarily provided in motors that are used in vacuum cleaner constructions.

The motor 16 is provided with a shaft 27, one end of which extends from the motor housing 17 and is provided with a belt driving spindle 27a that is in driving engagement with an endless belt 28. The belt 28 also drivingly engages a pulley 29 that is mounted on a rotatable brush 30 located at the front of the casing 10. This brush is of customary construction and is provided with bristles 31a.

The ends of the brush 30 are rotatably held in bearings 31 of customary construction that are mounted on the inside of the casing 10. In order to hold the belt 28 in driving engagement with the spindle 27a and the pulley 29, there is provided a belt guard 32.

The belt guard 32 is of generally inverted U-shape in4 crosssection with a at base 32a -and depending substantially parallel side flanges 32b adapted to be located on opposite sides of the belt as shown most clearly in Figure 5. Extending outwardly from the outer side flange 32b is a mounting flange 32e which is struck from its side flange to leave an opening 32d. TheV belt guard 32 is mounted in place by means of a bolt 33 that engages the top portion of the casing 10.

Mounted on the bottom of the casing 10, so as to engage the bottom edge portion b of the casing, is a removable closure plate 34. This closure plate is provided at its rear and side edges with a channel 34a that contains `a sponge rubber gasket strip 35. This gasket strip, which is preferably coated with a cement such as a rubber cement, is adapted to make sealing contact with the edge 10b and with the channel 34a. The front of the closure plate 34 is provided with a laterally extending opening 34b which is located beneath the brush 30 in the customary manner to serve as the suction inlet to the nozzle structure and to expose the bottom of the brush for contact with the rug, or the like, being cleaned.

In order to service the interior of the noule casing `10 in order to replace the belt 28, remove long threads In the embodiment shown the means for holding the closure plate 34 in position includes a pair of spaced rods 36 located adjacent to the rear of the nozzle and having threaded ends 36a that are held in bosses 37 that form a part of the dividing wall 15. These rods 36 also aid in retaining in position the flanges 20 and 21 as the rods are provided with nuts 38 which bear against the bottom surface of the bottom tlange 21.

The bottom ends of the rods 36 are each provided with an enlarged head 36b which are located beneath the closure plate 34. Each rod 36 extends through an opening 34e in the plate 34 which is large enough to pass the head 36b.

The bottom closure plate 34 is locked in position by means of an elongated slidable bar 39 on the bottom of plate 34. This bar has downturned ends 39a for manipulation of the bar and the bar is held on the plate 34 by means of a pair of rivets 40 that extend through elongated aligned slots 39b in the bar 39. The rivets have enlarged heads on the bottom which hold the bar 39 in position.

Each rod 36 extends through a keyhole-shaped opening 39e in the bar 39. When the narrow portions of the openings 39e engage the rod heads 36b in the manner shown in the accompanying drawings, the closure plate is locked in position on the casing 10. Then when the bar 39 is moved to the right as shown in Figure l0 so that the enlarged portions of the openings 39C are aligned with the heads 36b, the closure plate 34 may be easily removed from the bottom of the casing 10.

Extending around the outside of the lower part of the casing 10 is a resilient furniture bumper strip 41 that is preferably made of a synthetic rubbery material such as polyvinyl chloride. The front end 34d of the closure plate is curved upwardly as shown in Figure 4 and abuts against the bottom of the bumper strip to hold the front portion of the strip in position. The remaining portions of the strip are held in position by the side edges of the closure plate 34 in the manner shown most clearly in Figure 9.

In order to lock the ends of the bumper strip 41 in position, each end of the bumper strip has attached thereto Ia spring metal clip 42. Each clip is provided with a flat side with inwardly directed sharp pointed spurs 42a that are normally embedded in the end 0f the bumper strip. The other side of each clip 42 is shaped as a spring nger to engage the inner surface of a downwardly extending ange 43 at the rear of the casing 10. Each flange 43 is located adjacent to a wheel 13 and extends generally forwardly as shown in Figure 5. Each flange 43 is of generally V-shape so that the end of the bumper strip that extends away from a clip 42 is bent around Vthe apex of the V in a manner shown most clearly in 12 on opposite sides of the exhaust conduit 11. The

'yoke 44 and casing 10 are urged upwardly by means of a spring 45 having a central part 45a bearing against the rear end of the casing 10 at the exhaust conduit 11, and ends 45b wrapped around the axle 12 on opposite sides of the central part 45a and bearing upwardly against the bottoms of the legs 44b.

The bight 44a is generally tubular and carries a short tube 46 having inner end 46a and outer end 46b extending, respectively, below and above the bight 44a. Interconnecting the exhaust conduit 11 and the inner end 46a is a exible air conduit hose 47. This hose 47 is of customary construction that includes a helical wire 48 covered with a continuous plastic sheet 49. The inner end of the hose 47 is assisted in being retained on the conduit 11 by means of outwardly extending ridges forming a part of the conduit. These ridges 11a are discontinuous but are arranged generally in helical align ment.

The outer end 46b of the bight tube 46 is adapted to releasably receive the lower end of a vacuum cleaner Wand 49 in the customary manner that a wand is received in an ordinary nozzle. The wand is used in the customary manner to propel the nozzle over the surface ybeing cleaned and to convey dirt-laden air.

The electrical connections to the motor 16 are conventional and include an electric cord 50 that carries on its outer end a plug 51 for connection with an electrical receptacle to receive electrical energy therefrom.

In order to raise the front end of the casing 10 such as when it is desired to lift the casing over a projection means are provided so that when the yoke 44a is moved downwardly it will engage a catch and raise the casing. The catch may be of any construction desired. In the rembodiment shown, it comprises a downwardly extending 60 .'by a spur 44a` formed on the lower end of a yoke leg plate 52 bolted to the casing and adapted to be engaged In the embodiment shown in Figure 14 the bottom closure plate 34 is held in position at the rear end by 'providing the'spring 145 with a projecting forward end a to extend under the rear edge of the plate 34. As in the earlier described embodiment, the front end of the plate 34 is held in position as illustrated in Figure 4 at the lefthand side.

With this alternate construction the holding elements including the rods 36, bar 39 and rivets 40 may be eliminated.

In this alternate embodiment the suction in the interior of the nozzle when the nozzle is being used adds to the force of the spring to hold the closure plate securely in position. This suction is, of course, effective in the first embodiment in a similar manner.

The foregoing detailed description is given for clearness of understanding only and no unnecessary limitations are to be understood therefrom, as some modifications will be obvious to those skilled in the art.

We claim:

A vacuum cleaner nozzle structure, comprising: a casing; a movable brush mounted on said casing; a motor for moving said brush; means mounting said motor Within the casing, the motor mounting means including an air barrier on which the motor is supported substantially horizontally, the air barrier dividing the casing into first and second air chambers isolated from each other on opposite sides of said barrier; motor cooling means including said first chamber; means dening a dirt laden air passage including said second chamber, the dirt laden air passage having an exit from said casing; means forming a iirst por- References Cited in the iile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS D. 179,867 Swann Mar. 12, 1957 1,639,959 Owen Aug. 23, 1927 2,136,247 Kroenlein Nov. 8, 1938 2,136,268 Watts Nov. 8, 1938 2,168,899 Dow Aug. 8, 1939 2,218,180 Schug Oct. 15, 1940 2,287,515 Dow et al. June 23, 1942 2,334,732 Taylor Nov. 23, 1943 2,380,782 Owens July 3l, 1945 2,691,791 Humphrey Oct. 19, 1954 2,716,254 Hoffmann Aug. 30, 1955 2,807,824 Coons Oct. 1, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS 801,152 France May 16, 1936 

